What do i actually do?
Trip Start
Jun 14, 2005
1
9
21
Trip End
Aug 20, 2005
St. George's,
Grenada
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Ive had a few requests asking what im actually doing at the hospital, and what the people here are like.
So lets start with the hospital. Theres not a lot to say, coz i dont do much :) I tend to go in for about 8:30 depending on when i wake up. I know my consultant will be rolling in late again at about 10am. His best was turning up at 1130am then buggering off at 12! So i drive to the hospital which is on this hill overlooking the carenage of st. george's. Its actually right next to a fort as well which i will need to check out at some point. Theres two main parts to the hospital, a big 4/5 storey block then a tiny 2 story building which has offices on the top floor and A&E and radiology on the ground floor. Thats where i am, but it pretty much is a shack but with proper walls
my department (radiology) on the left
. It leaks whenever it rains coz there was loads of damage from the hurricane. So i huddle myself away into this tiny room after saying good morning to everyone (they then say something and i just nod and smile in agreement coz cant understand a word they say!). I pick up any films that havnt been reported (coz my consultant does sod all!) and set to work on them. I go through all the chest xrays no problem and write the reports, but if theres a barium enema to do i stay well clear coz i dont understand them at all. But im getting more confident and reporting other things like KUBs, bones (just learnt how to spot a depressed fracture on a skull xray, and no dad, thats not a fracture that is down on itself!) etc. So i go through all those, writing reports for the ones i can manage, but leave the rest for him to run through with me, when he finally arrives. So that takes me to about 1100am normally and then he might run through some films he keeps stached of cool conditions. So i am learning stuff and getting an eye for it all. I can pretty much scan a chest xray and decide whats wrong with it in a couple of seconds. And after all that, i bugger off to the beach!!! :)The people here are quite strange, only because if u did what they do in britain u would be arrested. They are all really friendly, and always say hi to u in passing. U will get chatting to them about anything really
the hospital
. If ur on the beach tho and someone comes up to u and u start talking to them, u can pretty much guarantee they are going to ask u for money. And then theres those on the beach trying to sell woven baskets, necklaces etc to u. However there is one rasta weve got to know - david - who we see often on grand anse beach. Hes the exception tho coz he doesnt force a sale on u, and is great to just sit and talk to. He produces regae music so he'll get u listening to what hes made. He brought his daughter along one day as well. He does sell stuff, but not pushy and so the girls all ordered an ankle bracelet off him, he deserved it coz he was genuine. Im thinking i need an ankle bracelet now! theyve all got one! feel left out.Although everyone is really friendly, it can be very intimidating, especially for the girls. The men have no shame at all and instantly start gathering around the girls, coming up to them with cheasy lines. But they all holla things like, "hey whitey" etc which really doesnt come across as being that friendly, especially at night. This is why karren decided to move coz she was on her own in the middle of the city and it just felt really unsafe...dont blame her.
Then of course there are just some wierd people hanging around. The place is probably very safe, but it doesnt feel like it
view down to st george's bus stop
.Well i havnt been up to much recently coz its been raining the whole time! hopefully the sun will come out so i can get down the beach again
amy, anna, katie and rebecca leave on saturday so its going to get a bit lonely round here. Theres some liverpool student here who im quite keen to get to know...might invite them round to my pad one night.
so thats it for now, any more requests then send them in ;) ill try and get some photos of me online soon mum :)
Byeee,
AJG
